The Bachelor's Nick Viall on Premiere Déjà Vu and Finding a Shark (or Two) in the WaterBY NICK VIALL @VIALLNICHOLAS28

POSTED ON JANUARY 3, 2017 AT 11:37AM EST

He was devastated twice on The Bachelorette and had a summer fling on Bachelor in Paradise, and now Nick Viall is looking to find a love that lasts as The Bachelor‘s latest leading man. Read his exclusive blog for PEOPLE every week and follow him at Twitter, @viallnicholas28!

Trust me, I was as shocked as you were when I was first asked to be the Bachelor. Believe it or not, I thought each season of The Bachelorette would be my last, and Bachelor in Paradise was no different. So, when I was asked to be the Bachelor it was avery surreal moment. In fact, it was so surreal that my first response was, I don’t know if I can do this.

A lot of considerations went through my head on whether I should accept this opportunity. I knew it was an amazing honor to be asked and could be an unbelievable opportunity. I have always been incredibly grateful for my time in the Bachelor world, and while overall I have no regrets, my time on the show hasn’t come without its hardships. But I have always been a risk taker and have always believed the greatest things in life often come with the greatest risks.

So, despite my fears and reservations, I knew I had to stay true to myself and follow my heart. I knew that deep down I would regret it if I wasn’t willing to face my fears that this could all blow up in my face. I went into this to find love, simple as that. I knew if I gave it my all and came into this with an open heart that I had an amazing chance at finding “the one.”

Preparing myself to meet 30 women was nothing short of exciting, but also nerve-racking. At the time, I didn’t know how many women would come out of those limos, but regardless, preparing to date over 20 women is super surreal. Once my suit was picked out, I caught up with a few former bachelors to hear about their experiences. My good friends Chris Soules, Ben Higgins and the one and only Sean Lowe. The boys gave me some great advice that I would reflect on throughout the season. And it was Sean who reminded me that there were still people in Bachelor Nation who would question me — and probably because they don’t watch Bachelor in Paradise.

Honestly, it’s an amazing program people! Trust me, I’m aware I might be a surprising choice, and I have my fair share of critics out there. I know I’m not perfect. I wanted said yes to The Bachelor for the chance of finding love and to find someone I could spend the rest of my life with. After speaking with my pals, I knew all I could do was be myself. I wouldn’t be the Perfect Ben or a Prince Farming and certainly had no chance at being like Sean. But I felt good about the fact that whether people supported me or not — no one was going to think I wasn’t coming into this without my flaws. I felt supported and certain that to have this work for me, I was going to be open, honest and put my heart on the line.

I hardly remember speaking with Chris Harrison outside the mansion I was so excited. I mean, by now you all must think this is so normal for me. But being on the other side of things is a completely different experience. All I kept thinking was, Will the women like me? Will I meet the one? Will Chris ever go away so I can start meeting them?! Thinking back to this night on Andi Dorfman’s season, I remembered being so nervous. So, going into that evening my focus was to make sure that the women felt comfortable and confident and hopefully that would lead to a really positive season.

Meeting the LadiesI guess I should have prepared myself for the runner-up jokes, but to be honest these ladies killed it. I thought Sarah jogging up to me was super clever, and while Josephine’s hot dog has left a taste that still lingers in my mouth all these months later, I thought it was hilarious. I took comfort in the fact that while Taylor’s friends think I’m terrible, at least she was willing to give me a shot. I was blown away with Astrid and Vanessa speaking other languages and found it super sexy. There were dancers, beautiful smiles, cunning remarks and a camel.

I think back to Ida Marie’s trust fall. As cheesy as it sounds, these women were trusting in me and in this journey. Those first introductions were so amazing, and watching it all over again in the episode is so fun and brings back some awesome memories. I thought back to when I came out of the limo myself and wished I had come up with something more memorable. Don’t get me wrong, every woman in that 30 was beautiful and intriguing, but it was the big gestures that caught my attention and left a mark on who they were. My advice for future Bachelorettes and Bachelors is to make those introductions out of the limo memorable! Everyone loves a good laugh or interesting spark.

LizTwenty-nine of those introductions were some of the best I’ve had in my life. And yet there was one woman, Liz, who I’d met prior to the show. When she stepped out of the limo I was in utter shock. I had no idea that she was planning on coming, and I hadn’t spoken with her in about nine months. I was eager to speak with her and had a ton of questions.

Once I sat down with Liz, our conversation was confusing almost immediately. I was caught off guard when she started talking to me as if we had never met. With the understanding that everyone was there with at least an open heart to the possibility of finding love, it didn’t make sense to me that Liz would think I wouldn’t remember who she was, but at the same time, still think I was someone that she might fall in love with.

Then there was the obvious question of why would she show up now when she could have asked Jade for my number. Unfortunately, we could not finish our conversation, not without making sure I would be able to sit down with as many women as possible. Despite my conversation raising more questions than answers, I decided to give Liz a rose. The night of Jade and Tanner’s wedding was great, and this was a girl that I was once intrigued by when we first met. I also considered the fact that Liz must have been very nervous and I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. I wanted to at least have the chance to finish that conversation with Liz before I made any drastic decisions regarding our relationship.

The 29 Other WomenI still had 29 other women who put their lives on hold for me, and I owed it to them not to let my confusion regarding Liz consume my thoughts all night. As flattered as I was to have 30 women show up to meet me, things got overwhelming — and fast. These women were beautiful and intelligent, and I became nervous I couldn’t give them the best version of me. It was really intimidating to get to know so many women with the time restriction of one night before the first rose ceremony. The hardest part of that evening was making sure I was having meaningful conversations that were more than just a couple minutes. I appreciated all the women willing to try and make time while also understanding that there was only one of me to go around. Watching the episode makes it hard to see women like Jasmine having a difficult time. I know how hard it is to be on that side of things, and I completely understand how it can make anyone emotional.

AlexisThere certainly were a handful of memorable conversations, but none was quite as entertaining as the one I had with Alexis. Truthfully, it was hard to know what exactly Alexis looked like with the costume covering pretty much her entire face. Still, I loved the fact that she committed to keeping it on and having fun with it. It takes a lot of guts to show up wearing that thing and owning it the entire night. The fact that she stubbornly insisted that she wasn’t a shark but a dolphin only added to the charm of it.

On an evening that can come with a lot of anxiety and nerves it was nice to have Alexis keep it light for everyone. I don’t think she knew it but there were a handful times when I was walking into another conversation with a woman where I’d catch her in the corner of my eye dancing, swimming or catching snacks in her mouth. It was awesome.

CorinneCorinne was a woman who certainly brought her confidence that night. When she came back for a second conversation, I was a little surprised but at the same time I respected the assertiveness. When I realized that Corinne came back to grab that first kiss I was pretty nervous about it. Out of respect for the other women I didn’t want to do it in a place where they could see, but at the same time I didn’t want to make Corinne feel uncomfortable or regret taking a chance. But I decided it was as good of a time as any to grab that first kiss with a very beautiful woman. I appreciated Corinne being confident enough to take a chance and put her relationship with me above everything else.

Danielle M.There was something about Danielle M. that made me know almost immediately that she was a great woman. To work as a neonatal nurse takes a certain kind of person. I could feel that Danielle exuded kindness, patience and had the qualities I would want in a partner. I also found out we grew up only a few towns over from one another. I found a familiarity with her while also leaving our conversation wanting to get to know her so much more.

RachelI would hand out a lot of roses that night but before I got to the rose ceremony, I had to first decide who I would be giving the First Impression Rose to and was curious as to how I would decide who to give the rose to. I suppose I was hoping that it would almost seem obvious to me — someone would just stand out and I would feel like there was an obvious choice, and that’s kind of how it happened.

I had so many wonderful conversations that night and there was no shortage of great first impressions. I certainly felt the chemistry that Vanessa felt between us, Alexis had me laughing out loud, Corinne held nothing back and Danielle L. was gorgeous in that dress. Despite all that, the connection I had with Rachel felt unlike any other that evening.

It was crazy just how easy it was to be myself around Rachel. As clichéd as it sounds, it was like we had known one another for years, but she still took my breath away. I know what it’s like to receive that First Impression Rose, having gotten it from Andi. And as great a feeling as it was, there is no denying it came with a little target on my back. I felt confident that Rachel had the maturity and class to handle all that came with receiving that first rose.

Rose CeremonyAs the night was coming to an end I could feel the anxiety around the house. I still had four women (Jamie, Dominique, Elizabeth B. and Christina) that I hadn’t had the chance to speak with when Chris Harrison pulled me for the rose ceremony. I decided I was going to give roses to the four women I hadn’t been able to speak with. It felt wrong to make any decision regarding those women without talking with them. Astrid was right; it felt almost impossible to feel completely confident in any of my decisions with such little time with each of the women. I had to trust my gut and follow my heart. I focused on the thought that if there was any part of me that was willing to say goodbye now, then that person wouldn’t be the one for me.

Next week kicks off the first week of dates. And trust me, the drama unfolds almost immediately. I’m sure you’re all wondering what happens with Liz. All I can say is I never thought my first week would have me so anxious because of someone from my past. There are some shocking revelations and more unanswered questions. But you’ll have to tune in and see for yourselves. You won’t want to miss next week, I promise.

I started this journey with the hope I would find a love that could last forever, a love that was returned and a love that I’ve never felt before. Throughout the season I questioned if I could find that. There are tears, heartbreak and more drama than I imagined. But where I stand today, I am a man who knows he never gave up.

Thanks for reading,Nick.

The Bachelor airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on ABC

People.com

Last edited by GuardianAngel on Tue Jan 03, 2017 4:18 pm; edited 1 time in total

All joking aside, I am looking forward to his weekly sum ups of the show.

It seems that a few of you were right regarding why Nick chose Rachel for the first impression rose. Yes, he was impressed and rightly so. But he also thought that she could handle the "target" with grace and strength.

THE BACHELOR PREMIERE – AND HOW TO THROW A BACHELOR VIEWING PARTY!January 3, 2017

Follow my blog with Bloglovin I can't believe another season of The Bachelor has started! I have to say that this might be the most excited I've ever been to watch the show. And really that's because of Nick. ...

I’ve been friends with Nick for a little while now and I’ve always been Team Nick. Even back in the day when everyone was mad at him during Andi Dorfman’s season (and Kaitlyn’s season), I always truly believed he was a good guy and had his back. I had Andi’s back as well since I’m friends with both of them Anyhow, I’m just glad that everyone’s come around and sees in Nick what I’ve seen all along, and that’s that he’s a great guy! Watch my interview with him back during Kaitlyn’s season HERE.

In fact, back in THIS POST I said that I thought Nick should be the next bachelor! I thought it was such a long shot since so many people weren’t loving him, but I’m so happy that it actually happened! So, I will be watching every episode of the season with all of you and blogging along.But just because I’m friends with Nick doesn’t mean I’m NOT gonna poke fun at him every chance I get! Hey, isn’t that what friends do? They tell you when you’re being a dork or have done something stupid? But then totally lift you up and sing your praises! So expect a lot of both from me this season. But I’ll mostly be lifting him up! And I will be doing the same with the girls. I know what it’s like to be in their shoes and people tend to be a little hard on the ladies. I, like many of you, will poke fun at them when warranted (Shark/Dolphin girl is a great example of when it’s okay to give one of the girls a hard time – I mean she’s just asking for it and I love her for it!) But that said, I really want to try hard to not be mean spirited in my comments about them. It hurts to read negative things about yourself online and I know that from firsthand experience. So let’s have fun but play nice!

Anyway, let’s talk about last night! Did you guys have a premiere party with your girlfriends to watch the show? I did! And it was so much fun! I wanted to make the viewing party special so I made little Bachelor themed signs, created a photo wall to take pictures with cardboard Nick cutouts, and made cupcakes with roses on them! Too make the signs, I just printed them out from my computer (made them in keynote) and put them in pretty white frames – super easy. And I bought white cupcakes at the store and put edible rose decorations on them. I used a cookie cutter to cut out the bread to make little heart shaped cucumber tea sandwiches. For the photo booth I just used a gold foil backdrop and bought photo booth props online and added fresh roses for props too! And in true Bachelor fashion we sipped on Black Box wine (Thanks for providing it Black Box!), which was perfect because a box has four bottles of wine and us girls really enjoy our wine while watching the show! A little too much Ha! Oh and of course I had plenty of roses on hand. Here are a few fun pics for my viewing party!

Now let’s talk about the show! Every season I say it’s pretty pointless to recap what happened in the first episode. We met so many women and so much went on that there’s really no point in me going through and telling you what I thought of each one of them. So instead I’m going to pick out a few notable woman from last night and talk about why they stood out to me last night.

Rachel – Heck yes for Rachel getting the first impression rose! She’s awesome. I liked her right away and obviously Nick does too! And the person who gets the first impression rose usually makes it really far in the season. Maybe she’ll end up with Nick or maybe she’ll be our next Bachelorette! How awesome would that be?

Danielle M – Speaking of the next Bachelorette (I know I know, I’m getting ahead of myself here) Kevin said, “if she doesn’t win, she’s going to be the next Bachelorette” at one point during the episode. So the fact that he thought that while watching immediately puts her on my radar too! Plus she’s just so dang cute. There are so many SUPER pretty girls on Nick’s season. Don’t you think? Lucky guy! Not that looks are everything, obviously they’re not, but I’m sure Nick’s pleased none-the-less.

Vanessa – She speaks 3 languages AND is a special education teacher? Could this girl be any more perfect!? I ADORE her! Heck, I want to date her! Ha! Plus they had an undeniable connection on night one. I think we will see a lot of her this season.

Shark/Dolphin girl – Ok, her real name is Alexis. But she will forever be shark/dolphin girl to me. I feel like she’s the new White & Gold / Black & Blue dress. Is she a dolphin? Or is she a shark? We will never know for sure. Ha! She’s a little off her rocker but I LOVE her! I REALLY hope she stays on this season for a long time purely for entertainment. And I hope she NEVER takes off her shark/dolphin costume. Her dancing in the costume had me dying laughing!

There are lots of other gals to talk about but these were just a few of my favs! We can get into dept about some of the other girls in my future blogs! Tell me your favorite girls in the comments below!

In the end I’m just so excited for Nick! I really truly hope he finds true love this season. And I’ve already told him he’s not allowed to go on anymore Bachelor shows if this doesn’t work out for him. Ha! That’s a total joke by the way. I tried to make that joke on GMA yesterday morning when they asked me to send a clip giving Nick advice. I thought it would be funny if I gave him a hard time for going on the show so many times. But the way the anchors set it up made it seem like he wouldn’t want to hear from me (even though we are friends). It’s not their fault, I think they thought he was on my season or something. I thought it was funny but it didn’t really seem like half the audience got it. Some laughed and some booed. I actually sent Nick a text right after I saw it and I apologized if it came across as a negative thing. He knows I adore him and he knows I support him so of course he didn’t think twice about it.

My point in bringing that up is to say that I genuinely feel bad for what Nick is about to endure. When you’re the lead of the show, so much negativity comes with that. Just by my one stupid silly comment on GMA yesterday morning I felt sick to my stomach that people thought I was being mean to Nick. It’s so silly but it made me feel terrible. And it reminded me of when I was the Bachelorette, and how you have to watch every little thing you say and take so much negativity from so many people. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of positivity comes with it too but you just have to sit there and watch millions of people dissect who you are and say things about you online. I got one small little taste of that this morning as I got some mean tweets in response to what I said on GMA – which was just supposed to be in good fun! So with that, I just want to ask everybody out there to give Nick a little bit of slack. It’s OK to poke fun at him. Like I said, I’m going to do that too! But when that poking fun is mean-spirited that’s when it crosses the line from a joke to negativity. So let’s all be nice to one another in 2017! What do you think?

This last message is directly for Nick. You’re going to rock it this season! Kevin, Molly and I are so happy for you! This is going to be her first season of The Bachelor she ever watches. Ok she’ll be sleeping during the show – but I’ll tell her all about it ;). So that makes you pretty special in her book. I’ll be watching along – laughing with you, crying with you, and feeling all the love! Since you live in LA now, once the show is over Kevin and I expect a double date! Can’t wait to meet the lucky lady! Because I feel certain, in my heart, that you’ve found love!

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter cause I’ll live tweet each episode (and do Insta Stories)! Even though I slacked at live tweeting yesterday because I was having too much fun at my Bachelor premiere viewing party! For now, let’s discuss last nights premiere i the comments below

FAMILY, LIFESTYLE, OPINIONLESSONS FROM THE BACHELOR – WHAT’S IN A NAME?BY RYANJANUARY 4, 2017This is a different kind of Bachelor blog post. It is not a judgment or critique. It is rather a reflection – a comparison if you will. Though there were a number of opportunities for humor and criticism on Monday night, it was also apparent that The Bachelor, most likely unintentionally, is an excellent platform for life lessons. In this case, the lesson was consideration.

Let me begin with a little context. Years ago my wife, Trista, and I were the first couple to emerge from The Bachelorette. That experience was tremendous and has afforded us tremendous opportunities. We are extremely grateful for all of them. However, along with the good comes the bad, in this case taking the form of unfounded, unkind and usually unclaimed public denigration. Though we have grown thick skins, there are still difficult moments. For example, the other night at the firehouse one of the guys was trying to figure out my middle name (It’s Allen after my great grandfather by the way). He did a quick Google search, which inadvertently pulled up a blog site in which a number of comments were directed, in a quite hurtful way, at our daughter, more specifically to her name – Blakesley. The perpetrators could not have known that Blakesley is Trista’s mother’s maiden name. That Trista’s grandfather, James Blakesley, had three daughters and with that being the case, his surname would end with him. They could not have know that Grandpa Jim, as we called him, would die this year, shortly after a visit by his granddaughter whose name brought tears to his eyes when announced. They could not have known because they did not take the time to consider it, choosing instead to criticize, curse and otherwise poke fun at a girl, who at the time was only a couple of months old.

Traditionally, The Bachelor begins with the arrival of the limos and the precious cargo within. The girls emerge and are introduced by first name only (yes I know sometimes an initial is included to differentiate those with the same first name but you get the point I hope). From that point on, The Bachelor – in this case Nick – is tasked with rapidly getting to know them as much as is possible in a single night (albeit an extremely long night). It did not go unnoticed to me that Nick proclaimed at one point in the evening that he, “was trying to speak with everyone.” In other words, Nick’s consideration for the women on the show and the effort each had made to be there for him was made apparent. It was a tiny moment showcasing a powerful concept, one that is rare in life these days, let alone on The Bachelor.

I can’t help but compare the way that Nick handled getting to know the girls with how so many chose the opposite approach with Blakesley’s name. As I watched the remainder of the program, I enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the women a bit as well. Alexis, whose shark dolphin costume went from a bit dopey to totally endearing, The Danielles (L & M) whose intelligence and charm shot them to the top of my list along with Rachel – the articulate lawyer with terrific poise despite the circumstances. There were others too of course, some of whom I’m still on the fence about but for whom – thanks to Nick and his example – I will certainly afford the time and consideration to get to know before passing judgment or making comments. I can’t wait to see what next week brings!http://theheroshandbook.com/lessons-from-the-bachelor-whats-in-a-name/

It wasn't a blog but CH did an interview regarding Nick being TB and his journey this season. I was hoping someone would post it here! I really wanted to hear at least Kasha's take. She is one among many who reads between the lines well! It was by Entertainment Weekly. I would but I always screw copy and paste up!

Well, thanks. I generally feel CH says what he what us to think. He subliminally plants little seeds. So it might be interesting to read.

My doctor asked me: "Does anyone in your family suffer from mental illness?" My answer:"No they all enjoy it immensely."

" Let's all take a moment and put our petty Team This and Team That aside and remember when all is said and done we should be Team BBF first. Life really is too short. This is a show. " - Kasha RIP my little one. I will miss you.

Chad Johnson on Bachelor Nick Viall's Liz: 'Squeeze Back Into the Woodwork' That You 'Crawled Out of'

It's another year, and another season of The Bachelor is upon us. As you all know, Nick Viall is this year's Bachelor, and I have to admit, I have not exchanged many words with him in person. All I really know about him is that he's been on the show a million times, and his story is always a sad one.

Anyway, let's talk about the very first episode, which aired Monday, January 2. Many of the girls showed up trying to garner attention by doing crazy stuff, wearing costumes or just saying really cheesy, dirty things. Basically the same thing that happens every season.

I have to say that unfortunately, other than learning the names and personalities of contestants, the show itself was quite uneventful. I'll give you a quick rundown of noteworthy things that happened. ...

1. Nick stands there with a perma-smile and barely says much as each girl gets out of the limo.

3. One chick, Liz, hooked up with Nick at Jade and Tanner's wedding just to say she did it, and then used that as a means to get onto this season of The Bachelor while obviously having absolutely zero actual interest in him.

Anyone who has been on TV before has had girls from their past — who were previously uninterested — start coming out of the woodwork once the show airs. It's quite common for girls to come out guns blazing, trying to catch a ride on that fame game.

I have to say that when Liz showed up after hooking up with Nick and not even giving him her number afterward, she was obviously not interested, and she would have gotten an earful from me. I would tell Liz to squeeze back into the woodwork that she crawled out of. I believe the only reason she was there is to create drama and upset Nick.

4. Corinne is already labeled the villain just because she was aggressive in that she made out with Nick. So essentially all of the girls in the house now hate a girl for showing up and doing what she is supposed to be there to do.

Corinne is coming hard at Nick, and we can't tell yet whether it's because she is truly into him or if she's just trying to win. Either way, it's always nice to watch someone who just doesn't care what other people think.

So that's about it, as everything else was just small talk, girls complaining they didn't get enough time with Nick and girls going home crying on the first night because they know they didn't make it deep enough to be able to date me on Bachelor in Paradise.

The show is taking a very slow approach this year, and to be honest, after watching the first episode, I don't know much about any of the girls or even Nick himself. What I do know is that they chose a stellar lineup of beautiful women this year, and for that, I am thankful.